AWARE Behavioral Health highlights new options for veterans with treatment-resistant depression

AWARE Behavioral Health is marking Veterans Day by spotlighting treatment-resistant depression and newer therapies that may help veterans who do not respond to standard antidepressants. The Dallas-area provider is urging veterans and families to recognize persistent symptoms and ask about options such as TMS and Spravato.

Why it matters: - Veterans face a growing mental health burden long after military service ends. - AWARE Behavioral Health says more treatment options could help veterans who do not improve with traditional antidepressants. - The message lands as Veterans Day approaches on November 11, when awareness efforts tend to focus on care gaps and support needs.

What happened: - AWARE Behavioral Health is using Veterans Day to draw attention to treatment-resistant depression among veterans. - The Dallas–Fort Worth mental health provider is highlighting Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, or TMS, and Spravato as alternative options for eligible patients. - Dr. Surin Sehdev, psychiatrist and owner of AWARE Behavioral Health, said veterans deserve to know there are other options when standard medications do not work.

The details: - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs saw 2.2 million veterans for mental health care in fiscal year 2025, a 40% increase from a decade ago. - Veterans received more than 600,000 referrals to community behavioral health providers between fiscal years 2021 and 2024, and that number rose every year. - Treatment-resistant depression is described as depression that persists after multiple appropriate medications. - Research suggests about one in three adults with major depression does not respond to oral antidepressants alone. - TMS uses targeted magnetic pulses to stimulate brain areas involved in mood regulation. - Spravato, or esketamine, is a prescription nasal spray given under medical supervision. - Both TMS and Spravato are FDA-approved for certain patients with depression, including treatment-resistant depression. - AWARE Behavioral Health says veterans who have spent months or years searching for relief may find additional options to be a turning point. - Dr. Sehdev said not responding to traditional antidepressants does not mean someone is beyond help. - AWARE Behavioral Health said veterans and families should watch for persistent depression symptoms, ask about available treatments, and seek care from qualified mental health professionals.

Between the lines: - The release frames access as the key issue, not just diagnosis. - Aware Behavioral Health is positioning newer, clinic-based treatments as a practical next step for people who have already tried standard medication. - The emphasis on veterans reflects a broader push to connect service members with care outside the VA system when needed.

What's next: - AWARE Behavioral Health is encouraging veterans and families to seek evaluation ahead of or around Veterans Day. - The provider says Dr. Sehdev is available for interviews about treatment-resistant depression, why antidepressants fail for some patients, and how newer therapies may help. - The company's website lists more information at the provider's website.